Meet new NIA boss, who fought Pakistani 'fidayeens' during 26/11

Mumbai: Maharashtra-cadre IPS officer Sadanand Date - who takes over as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) chief - is a no-nonsense policeman who had fought the Pakistani 'fidayeens' during the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai.

Dr Date, an officer of the rank of Director General of Police (DGP), is currently the head of Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of Maharashtra police.

The 1990-batch officer had been the Police Commissioner of Mira-Bhayander Vasai-Virar police commissionerate.

In the past, he had held several important posts, including the Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Mumbai.

During central deputation, he had also served as the Joint Secretary in the Law and Justice department, and in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

During the 26/11 terror attacks, he took on Pakistani fidayeens Mohammed Ajmal Kasab and Abu Ismail at the Cama & Albless Hospital.

Before heading the elite Crime Branch-CID of Mumbai Police, he was chief of the Force One, an elite crack commando team formed after 26/11 terror attacks, on the lines of NSG or the Black Cat commandos.

Dr Date has handled several crises in Mumbai – like the hostage crisis when a youth from Bihar, Rahul Raj, entered a BEST bus and took a dozen passengers hostage saying that he wanted to “kill Raj Thackeray” before being shot dead by Mumbai cops.

Besides, during 26/11, he played a role in fire-fighting operations during the June 21, 2012 fire at Mantralaya, and rescued several people.

Dr Date had deposed before the special 26/11 court, and the then Additional Sessions Judge M L Tahaliyani had praised the alertness of Dr Date and recorded in the judgement: “Prosecution witness no. 118 (Date) was wearing a bullet proof jacket. He, however, instead of directly going to the terrace, thought it proper to access the situation, and therefore, he threw one metal object, which was lying on the 6th floor of the building, towards the terrace door. Immediately, there was a burst firing from an automatic weapon from the terrace of the building......”.

During the encounter, he sustained injuries on his right eye, left side of the chest, below armpit, throat, right knee and left ankle due to fragments of grenades.

Dr Date was later awarded the President’s police medal for gallantry.

He attended the University of Minnesota under the Humphrey fellowship programme, where he studied the theoretical and practical aspects of controlling white-collar and organised crime in the United States.

Dr Date has undergone special training with the GSG-9 (Grenzschutzgruppe-9), a special unit of the German Federal Police.